Ear plugs

Ear plugs have several advantages over ear muffs, such as:

• lighter weight
• can be worn without interference from eyeglasses, headgear, earrings or hair
• more comfortable in hot/humid enviroments
• less expensive than ear muffs

One of the disadvantages of ear plugs is that the amount of protection may vary among workers.

There are several styles of ear plugs, including flanged type (right)  and malleable foam (above).

When inserting your ear plugs:

1. Before putting ear plugs in, wash your hands to prevent infections from entering the ear.
2. Inspect the ear plugs for tears, cracks or hardening.
3. To insert a malleable foam plug, roll the blug between your fingers and thumb to make it thinner, making sure there are no wrinkles or creases in the plug.
4. Reach one hand behind your head and pull your ear outward and upward to widen the auditory canal.  Insert the plug well into the ear and hold it in place until it expands.  Don't be afraid to place the plug into the ear canal.  You cannot hurt your eardrum because the plugs are too short to reach it.  If the seal is not tight, the earplug will not be effective.

Remember to properly clean and store your ear plugs!

Next, let's discuss ear muffs.